A new dual-core 1.2GHz XScale processor is expected to be showcased at this autumn's Intel embedded roadshow. The conference, due to run in North America from September to November, will include exclusive talks on a high performance Xscale processor in the Intel storage group - a reference to the IOP342 device, which is from the same 32bit ARM-compatible family as the 600MHz IOP321 in the Castle Iyonix.The new Xscale reportedly features up to two cores that can each run at 1.2GHz or 800MHz, plus an independent 512MB level 2 cache, PCI-X and PCI-Express interfaces, and 1MB of internal RAM. It can happily access up to 2GB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM, and has some additional serial and I2C ports.
The chip is aimed at embedded products and kit for storing large quantities of data reliably across several hard discs; while one core is dealing with real-time information, the other core could be performing more intensive calculations, which is a boon for audio and video processing applications.
Intel recently flogged its mobile Xscale platform to telecom corporation Marvell, a deal which is currently awaiting the rubber stamp from US regulators. At the time, no mention of the IOP family was made by either party, leading to fears from contacts within the industry that it had been dropped like a hot potato - although today's noises from Intel would appear to prove otherwise.
• Late last year, Intel and ARM had a little tussle over who was going to bring out the first gigahertz-barrier breaking ARM-compatible core first.
Links
Intel Embedded Solutions Conference website - anyone who goes will be plastered with NDAs
Dual-core processing explained
Marvell suits discuss Xscale buy out